The invention relates to a process for the production of a cotton-based, lightweight and washable, nonwoven cloth. It also relates to the cotton-based, durable or semi-durable, washable cloths thus obtained.
A process for the production of nonwoven cloths has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,819, U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,706 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,508,308, in which process the cohesion and the interlacing of the elementary fibers with one another is obtained not by mechanical means but by means of a plurality of jets of water under pressure passing through a moving fleece or cloth and, like needles, causing the fibres to intermingle with one another. These nonwoven cloths are known in the literature under the English term "spunlace cloths" or "spunlace". It would therefore not serve any purpose to describe them here in detail. These "spunlace" cloths are essentially defined by the fact that their consolidation results from hydraulic interlacing.
Moreover, it is well known to produce cotton nonwoven cloths by a dry method or even by a wet method, that is to say papermaking method. These cotton nonwoven cloths are essentially desired for their absorbent power. They are therefore disposable, in particular for hygiene, medicine or as a wipe.
The production of "spunlace" cloths in cotton has been proposed. In this way, lightweight materials are obtained which are very soft to the touch and slightly fluffy. Unfortunately, these cloths have a poor resistance to abrasion when wet. In other words, from the time they are wetted, these cotton-based "spunlace" cloths lose their body and their textile handle, which are, however, highly desirable. It is therefore impossible to wash these cloths, which disintegrate very rapidly as soon as they are washed for the first time.
Now, however, the market increasingly calls for cotton-based lightweight cloths capable of being washed several times, while retaining their textile touch and body.
In order to overcome these disadvantage, it has been proposed to introduce binders, in particular latexes, into these cotton "spunlace" cloths. Unfortunately, this process is not satisfactory since the incorporation of such binders considerably changes the touch and the body of the products and also their absorption capacity, as well as the suppleness.
For all of these reasons it is not possible to date to produce washable cotton "spunlace" cloths while retaining the main features of their mechanical and textile properties, which are increasingly desired.